For those who suffer with hay fever, the coming months could be a miserable time.

Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollens and the effects of hay fever can range from being quite mild, to having serious effects on your normal daily life. Common symptoms include a runny, itchy or blocked nose, sneezing and itchy, red, swollen, watery eyes.

Dr Steve Ollerton, Chair, NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local GP said “The best way to control hay fever is with antihistamines. Antihistamines are available from your pharmacy and if you’ve any questions remember your pharmacist can help you, particularly if you’re already taking medication.”

Dr David Kelly, Chair of NHS North Kirklees CCG and local GP said added: “There are some things you can try to help protect yourself including putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes and showering and changing your clothes after you’ve been outside to wash pollen off”.

You can be prepared for the effects of hay fever by listening to your local weather forecast, which will provide updates on the pollen count. You can find out more about the pollen count on the Met Office website.